TAGS   |   Culture

Episodes

60 Episodes

Pottery

S1 • E1
Chickasaw potter Dixie Brewer demonstrates the ancient art of handcrafting pinch pots, which have been used for hundreds of years.

Stickball Sticks

S1 • E2
Chickasaw citizen Jesse Lindsey is a fifth-generation artisan of stickball sticks.

Regalia

S1 • E4
Chickasaw elders Pauline Brown and Rose Jefferson continue the tradition of hand-sewing Chickasaw regalia as a way to honor their ancestors.

Metalsmithing

S1 • E5
Eddie Postoak is a Chickasaw citizen and artisan who works with metal.

Shell Carving

S2 • E1
Dustin Mater is a Chickasaw citizen and accomplished artist in many different mediums, including shell carving.

Horticulture

S2 • E3
Plants have been part of Chickasaw medicine for generations.

Baskets

S2 • E4
Chickasaw artisan Susan Ledford says that basket weaving is one of the oldest known Native American crafts in existence.

Weaving

S2 • E2
Chickasaw weaver Cotie Lancaster demonstrates her process of creating woven belts and mats using various types of looms.

Traditional Foods

S2 • E5
Watch as JoAnn Ellis and Vicki Penner cook osto ashiila', a classic pumpkin soup.

Quilting

S2 • E6
Imogene Imotichey-Walker and Carol Fox are two Chickasaw women who are passionate about the art of quilting.

Flutes

S2 • E7
Chickasaw artisan Jeremy Wallace described the cultural and historical significance of the flute.

Beaded Collars

S2 • E8
Chickasaw bead artist Kelly Reynolds shares her love of the traditional beaded collar.

Drum Making

S2 • E9
Since the beginning of the Chickasaws, drums and rattles were used in social dances.

Storytelling

S2 • E10
Chickasaw storyteller Lorie Carmichael describes the importance of passing traditions down through generations.

Bow Making

S2 • E11
Elihu says that if it wasn't for the Chickasaws' prowess with the bow and arrow, it's likely they would've been conquered by European explorers.

Brent Greenwood Art

S2 • E12
Brent Greenwood is a Chickasaw and Ponca artist who focuses on acrylics and mixed media.

Flint Knapping

S3 • E2
Chickasaw flint knapper Matthew Griffin's love of archaeology led him to start crafting his own stone tools using traditional methods.

Stomp Dancing

S3 • E3
Chickasaw dancer Julie Underwood explains the significance of traditional stomp dancing and shell shaking.

Beadwork

S3 • E4
Chickasaw beader Courtney Parchcorn explains different traditional beading techniques and how they tell stories.

Traditional Stories: How Day and Night Were Divided

S3 • E6
Chickasaw storyteller Lorie Carmichael gives an account of the animal council that evenly split night and day.
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Series

1 Series

Thrive: Traditions

Meet the Chickasaw Culture Keepers
Thrive: Traditions highlights Chickasaw artisans who breathe new life into cultural traditions like basket weaving, pottery and beading.

Videos

135 Videos

Governor's Vision of Arts and Humanities

Lona Barrick
Lona Barrick shares Governor Anoatubby's arts and humanities vision, which planted the seeds of the Chickasaw renaissance.

Survival of the Chickasaw Language and Culture

The Boarding School Era
The 1800s demonstrated a period of change and adaptability for Native Americans.

My History with the Chickasaw Nation

Lona Barrick
Lona Barrick reflects on her Chickasaw identity and being hired at the Chickasaw Nation by Governor Anoatubby.

Being Chickasaw: Our Nation's Ideals

Governor Bill Anoatubby
Governor Bill Anoatubby outlines the the ideals of the Chickasaw nation as a whole.

American Indian Cultural Center and Museum: An Overview

Experience Chickasaw History and Culture
This video presents the vision for the world-class American Indian Cultural Center and Museum now under construction near downtown Oklahoma City.

Indian Culture Enriches Us All

Neal McCaleb
Oklahomans have a thirst for knowledge of their tribal heritage.

Riverwind Hotel

Experience the Chickasaw Nation
The Riverwind Hotel gives guests a trendy, luxurious spot to stay while enjoying one of Oklahoma's premier entertainment destinations.

Chickasaw Nation Destinations: Scenic Tour

Experience Chickasaw History and Culture
Experience the Chickasaw Nation's vibrant culture and fast-growing world of adventure across south-central Oklahoma.

Chickasaw Arts Academy: Student Composers

The Chickasaw Nation
The Chickasaw Arts Academy brings together young students interested in composing music.

The Chickasaw Cultural Center: Beautifully Built

Lona Barrick
Lona Barrick talks about the beautiful scenery that Oklahoma has to offer, especially in Chickasaw Country.

Chickasaw Citizens Today: Proud, Engaged

Lona Barrick
Lona Barrick notes how Chickasaw citizens today enrich their culture and express the Chickasaw story through the arts and humanities.

Governor's Vision: A Fine Arts Focus

Lona Barrick
Lona Barrick describes Governor Anoatubby's vision to focus on and foster the fine arts.

Lona Barrick on SEASAM: Promoting Creativity

The Chickasaw Southeastern Art Show & Market
The Chickasaw Nation holds the annual SEASAM to promote both the development of native artists and appreciation for the arts.

Arts and Humanities: Telling the Chickasaw Story

Lona Barrick
Lona Barrick explains how the arts and humanities tell the story and embody the spirit of the Chickasaw people.

The Chickasaw Nation: We Are Our History, Culture, Arts

Lona Barrick
Lona Barrick says that the shared history, culture and art of the Chickasaw Nation define who they are as a people.

Rising Chickasaw Artists: Contemporary Artists Using Ancient Designs

Lona Barrick
Lona Barrick speaks about rising Chickasaw contemporary artists whose work is influenced by traditional Chickasaw designs.

Margaret Wheeler Costumes at the Cultural Center

Lona Barrick
Lona Barrick talks about Margaret Roach Wheeler's beautiful designs and her exhibit at the Chickasaw Cultural Center.

Larsen Elders Art at Chickasaw Cultural Center

Lona Barrick
Lona Barrick talks about Mike Larsen's elder series exhibit at the Chickasaw Cultural Center and the beautiful campus grounds.

Mike Larsen's Elder Series: "They Know Who They Are" and "Proud to Be Chickasaw"

Lona Barrick
Lona Barrick describes artist Mike Larsen's superb work and the process of working with him to develop his remarkable portraits of Chickasaw Elders.

Planning Artist Mike Larsen's Elder Series

Lona Barrick
Lona Barrick describes how Chickasaw artist Mike Larsen began painting Chickasaw elders.
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Places

18 Places

Blackland Prairie

The historical lands of the Chickasaw people
The Blackland Prairie refers to the location where the Chickasaw people lived, farmed and gathered food.

Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site

The Mississippian culture's largest and most influential urban settlement
This site was where Mississippian culture thrived before European explorers landed in the Americas.

De Soto National Memorial

Commemorates the landing of Hernando de Soto, who encountered the Chickasaws in 1540
This National Memorial is dedicated to the historic landing of the Spanish explorer Hernando de Soto in Florida in 1539.

Wickliffe Mounds

An archaeological complex dating back to the Mississippian culture
Ancient Native Americans inhabited the Wickliffe Mounds between approximately 1100 CE and 1350 CE.

Chickasaw White House

Built in 1885, this historic landmark was the home of Chickasaw Governor Douglas H. Johnston
The Chickasaw White House was built in 1895 in Emet, Oklahoma, and served as the home of Chickasaw Governor Douglas H. Johnston.

Florida Museum of Natural History

Dedicated to showcasing the flora, fauna, fossils and historic peoples of the state of Florida
The museum strives to develop a greater appreciation of human cultural heritage and contains an exhibit highlighting the South Florida Indian People.

Fort Washita

Established as a military fortress for recently relocated Chickasaws and Choctaws
This military post was built as a treaty obligation for relocated Chickasaw and Choctaw people.

Spiro Mounds

One of the most significant archeological discoveries in North America
The Spiro Mounds, located in what is now Le Flore County, Oklahoma, are one of the most significant archeological discoveries in North America.

McSwain Theatre

A vaudevillian relic restored to greatness by the Chickasaw Nation
Built in 1920 as a home for silent films and vaudeville acts, the McSwain Theatre has been a diverse venue for entertainment.

Moundville

One of the most significant Native American archaeological sites in the United States
Moundville was a site occupied by Mississippian culture from about 1000 A.D. until 1450 A.D., in central Alabama.

Natchez Trace

An ancient path connecting Native American territories of the southeast United States
The Natchez Trace was a path carved out by Native Americans that travels through several different American Indian territories, including Chickasaw.

Pinson Mounds

The largest collection of mounds in the United States from the Middle Woodland period
The Pinson Mounds are an ancient Native American complex that was discovered in Madison County, Tennessee.

Piominko Statue

Commemorates the rich history of the Chickasaw Nation and its connection to Tupelo
In 2005, sculptor William Beckwith was commissioned to craft a statue that would pay tribute to historic Chickasaw leader Piominko.

Holisso Research Center

Center for the study of Chickasaw history and culture
The Holisso Research Center is a state-of-the-art research library dedicated to studying the past and preserving information for generations to come.

The Homelands

The Original Chickasaw Settlement
When the Chickasaw tribe migrated from west to east, they stopped in present-day Mississippi, Alabama, Tennessee and Kentucky.

Kullihoma

A tribal reserve with traditional Chickasaw dwellings
Kullihoma is located between Ada and Allen on Highway 1. It was established after the passage of the Indian Welfare Act of 1936.

Chickasaw Cultural Center

A world-class, state-of-the-art facility dedicated to Chickasaw history and culture
The world-class Chickasaw Cultural Center opened near Sulphur, Oklahoma, in 2010.

Historic Capitol and Council House Museum

Honors the Chickasaws' rich history and located in Chickasaw Nation's historic capital city
The Chickasaw Council House Museum honors the rich culture of the Chickasaw and features one of the largest collections of Chickasaw art & culture.